Add formal fields to categorize postage stamps

[rjasper]

The lack of a formal categorization makes seaching for buyers a cumbersome process since they can't know what to search for.

Therefore I suggest to add 3 entry fields, from which at least the first required.
FIELD1: {Used, Unused}
Postage stamps can be categorized as "Used", "Unused",

FIELD 2: {NH, VLH, LH, H, HR}
General state (both for both Used as Unused) can be NH(never hinged), VLH(Lightly hinged), LH(Lightly hinged), H(inged), HR(hinge remnant)

FIELD 3: {OG, RG}
Gum state: OG (Original gum) or RG (re-gummed)

The fields could be made available only for sellers as list items, and be concatinated in the text. That way the user interface for buyers doesn't change.


One of the biggest internet sellers (nystamps on ebay) use:

MINT: Unused with gum, maybe hinged, could be regum.
NH: Never hinged.
Unused: A stamp issued with gum, but has none.
OG: Original gum.

VLH: Very Lightly Hinged.
HR: Hinge Remnant.
NGAI: No Gum As Issued.

This is of course not very structured.

[TiasTreasures]

How would I know if an inherited stamp has Original gum or if it was Regummed?

[billsstamps]

The lack of a formal categorization makes seaching for buyers a cumbersome process since they can't know what to search for.
Therefore I suggest to add 3 entry fields, from which at least the first required.
FIELD1: {Used, Unused}
Postage stamps can be categorized as "Used", "Unused",
FIELD 2: {NH, VLH, LH, H, HR}
General state (both for both Used as Unused) can be NH(never hinged), VLH(Lightly hinged), LH(Lightly hinged), H(inged), HR(hinge remnant)
FIELD 3: {OG, RG}
Gum state: OG (Original gum) or RG (re-gummed)
The fields could be made available only for sellers as list items, and be concatinated in the text. That way the user interface for buyers doesn't change.
One of the biggest internet sellers (nystamps on ebay) use:
MINT: Unused with gum, maybe hinged, could be regum.
NH: Never hinged.
Unused: A stamp issued with gum, but has none.
OG: Original gum.
VLH: Very Lightly Hinged.
HR: Hinge Remnant.
NGAI: No Gum As Issued. 4
This is of course not very structured.

I think these suggestions are appropriate for a specialist stamp auction such as Colnect where buyers look for high value stamps
On Ebid they would be cumbersome and confusing for buyers.
NH, etc is way way down the list for the average buyer on Ebid.
On Ebid it is more appropriate for the seller to describe the condition within the listing description so that having found Virgin islands George VI 1937 1d red, the buyer can decide whether hinge remnant is OK, or some other condition.

[koalastamps]

I'm a newbie, having just set up my store here. With my listings I include MNH, MLH, MH or MNG (mint never hinged, mint light hinged, mint hinged, mint no gum) in the title. For used, I sell only FU (fine used) or better. Most of my used is very fine, but I leave that judgement to the viewer and class everything as FU.

The reference by Bill to high value stamps is interesting. Hopefully my material here is seen as good quality and members will not have to drift elsewhere for these.

[rjasper]

Bill,
the otheday I was looking at Ebid for some stamps to futher my collection of MINT NH OG stamps of the Netherlands. I found that the succes of Ebid as a low threshold platform, where it is indeed possible to find single stamps at reasonal prices made that there is a massive amount of stamps offered...

The success of the platform also made me stop looking after bwowsing for an hour and not nearly getting to the end!

This made me write down this suggestion.

And, to stay in line with your comment, I suggested to concatenate the fields in the title and to make only the first field required (used/unused). Therefore, going with my suggestion doesn't change anything for the casual buyer, but makes the stamp(s) seachable for the more sophisticated user. For the seller it only requires to specify used/unused if he/she doesn't want to enter more data.

Therefore, I think my suggestion is the best of 2 worlds.

[rjasper]

How would I know if an inherited stamp has Original gum or if it was Regummed?

There is a nice description on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regummed_stamp
You'll find photos on http://www.hgitner.com/regummed-stamps.html

Success,
Rob.

[madelaine]

I think these suggestions are appropriate for a specialist stamp auction such as Colnect where buyers look for high value stamps
On Ebid they would be cumbersome and confusing for buyers.
NH, etc is way way down the list for the average buyer on Ebid.
On Ebid it is more appropriate for the seller to describe the condition within the listing description so that having found Virgin islands George VI 1937 1d red, the buyer can decide whether hinge remnant is OK, or some other condition.

I half agree with you but it would be great if the condition fields in Stamps were mint & used instead of used, unused and new.